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Join us to hear Professor Pierre Savatier, Research Director from the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Lyon, discuss his recent progress in reprogramming primate and rabbit ES/iPS cells to naïve-like pluripotency. He will also discuss the use of rabbits to explore chimeric competency, a defining feature of naïve pluripotency, in non-rodent species.

DATE: Thursday, 25th February, 2016

TIME: 12noon

VENUE: Level 5, Kenneth Myer Building, The University of Melbourne

TITLE: Naïve-like pluripotency and chimeric competency in primates and rabbits

ABSTRACT: In rodents pluripotency exists in two distinct flavours, naïve and primed. The situation seems more complex in rabbits and primates: we know less about the defining features of naïve and primed pluripotency, and the pluripotency stem cell lines fail to self-renew in the bona fide naïve state as defined in rodents. I will describe our recent progress in reprogramming primate and rabbit ES/iPS cells to naïve-like pluripotency. I will also discuss the use of rabbits to explore chimeric competency, a defining feature of naïve pluripotency, in non-rodent species.

BIO: Dr. Pierre Savatier obtained his PhD in biology at the University of Lyon, France. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Oxford University in the late 80’s, working on mouse early embryo development and pluripotent stem cells. In 2004, he joined the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Lyon, and participated in the creation of the Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, where he now heads the “Pluripotent stem cells in mammals” group. His current research interests include the control of pluripotency in the early embryo of rabbits, macaque monkey and human, and the generation of somatic chimeras in rabbits and non-human primates with embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells.